In career, tech skills, winners

With as many talented students as the Wichita Falls ISD has in its career and technology classes, it's a shame instructors don't have space for more students, said Gina Strong, Carrigan cosmetology teacher.WFISD students competed in the recent Skills USA district meet in February in Waco and brought home 12 first-place wins in everything from cosmetology and automotive technology to welding and construction."Every contest we competed in, we won first place, at least," Strong said.First-place winners will progress to state competitions in Corpus Christi in April and perhaps beyond that to nationals, she said.That's when scholarships become a real possibility.The contests are just an extension of career-oriented classes that fit some students so well that they achieve not only in class but in competitions withtheir peers statewide.WFISD officials talk about expanding career programs,sport water bladder but so far, the opportunities are few, say the instructors."I have 113 applications for my program this year. I can only choose 25," said Strong. "The state will only allow me to have 25 per class. There's only room in my lab for 25 kids. I have 50 kids (in all) — 25 in the morning, 25 in the afternoon."Larger districts like Birdville and Weatherford run a program twice the size of hers.You can go on a virtual trip to France or any other country with your structural steel. If you have art in the kitchen and imagine your kitchen to be that of a French chateau kitchen.Iowa Park ISD serves 80 students in its on-campus cosmetology program, she said."Yes,The shredder spares are very famous due to the Solar garden light that the shredders are used at a high frequency and therefore the need of their spare parts is very high. we definitely could use something bigger and modern and more up to date — and even more instructors," she said.

Her remodeled lab at Carrigan looks like an elementary school from the outside but was recently remodeled to include pedicure vibrating chairs and a microdermabrasion machine. "We just need a larger facility," she said. "We're outgrowing not just my program, but all the programs over here have been full this year."After two years in her program, students sit for their state board license exam and, if they pass it, graduate as licensed cosmetologists with no need for further education.The automotive technology class at Hirschi has also drawn a whiz-bang group this year, said Larry Krugle."They want to touch it, feel it, tear it apart, and put it back together. That's the way I am. It's much easier to tear it apart and figure it out than read a book," Krugle said.They're learning practical mechanics, such as what type of coolant to use in an engine, how to measure a crankshaft journal, and the three main angles used in aligning a vehicle.The following first-place winners will continue to state competition:Cosmetology: Dallas Neal (Rider) won first, and her project won Best of Show; Ebony Williams (Rider), won first place in men's hair cutting;Abigail Dagher (Wichita Falls High School) won first in nail art; Aimee Silva (WFHS) won first in nail care; Ceonna Rhodes (Rider) won first place in hair projects.These are gigantic machinery parts which are designed to perfection. These aim at providing some of the finest construction solutions.These Stone crusher are also used for various kinds of recycling tasks.
Welding: Jacobie Genus (Rider) placed first. Angel Valdez (WFHS) built a picnic table that won Best of Show. Misty Cantwell (Rider) welded a ranch entrance gate that won Best of Show.Construction Technology: Joshua Bates (WFHS) placed first in carpentry. The team of Bates,Magnetic toe ring Ernest Russell (WFHS) and Mark Vallejo (Rider) made a solar heater that won Best of Show in Innovative Architecture and Design.Collision Repair and Refinishing: Bobby Crawford (Rider) placed first in automotive refinishing. Vince Struve (WFHS) placed first in automotive repair.Automotive Technology: Blake Thornton (Rider) placed first for automotive service technology and for motorcycle service technology; Sean Hammonds (Rider) placed first in diesel equipment technology.